Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-09-23
THE EQUINOCTIAL.
1 Scleati6c Explanation Of These An.
nual storms.

nuA storms.
Sottisnd Tor, News!
The storms which prevail annually
about the 2lst of March and Septem-
Der, respectively, are known as the
"equinoctial gales" or "storms. Be.
yond their regularity OF approach very
little else is known about them. They
are usually disposed of as being
storms occurring from the ordinary
causes and coming at those particular
times because the sun is then "cross-
ing the equator" Why such relative
position of the san to the earth gives
rise to the storms is not very we'll
known, and an explanation is seldom
attempted. In it's annual elliptical
path, which is termed the travel
around the sun, the earth moves IN an
ecliptic. But it always retains the
Same angle to that line of motion, SO
that the relative position Of any por-
ton of the earth to the sun is constant
ly changing. When it is winter here,
the northern hemisphere is said to be-
turned from the sun, and consequently
in tho summer it is turned toward the
sun. Bet~ cen these two seasons it
is spring and autumn respectively, as
the northern half is entering that pc.
sition which the earth occupies during
summer or winter, as the case may be.
During the progress of the earth in
its yearly journey the sun is directly
overhead, sometimes ut the center OF
the earth. the equator. and sometimes
above or below that line. When SUN.
mer reigns in the northern half, old
Sol is north of the equatorial line. He
10 directly overhead ut no time farther
north than about SO! degrees, equal
to upwards Of 1900 miles. When that
point is reached, the position of the
earth becomes such that the sun ap-
pears to travel south, arriving directly
over the equator on the 2lst day of
September. From that time on, as
winter approaches, he appears to get
further below the equator, until the
same distance il attained below the
line Is was reached above, namely, 23A
degrees. Tho day and night, while
the sun is directly over the equator,
are each of IL hours duration; hence
the term Equinox" or "equal night
AZ no 10 directly overhead, above OF
below the central line, the day ex'
Deeds the night in the northern OF
southern hemispheres, respectively.
Winds being caused by a aow o.
colder and heavier air to fill the spac.
vacated BY lighter warm air, which as
cends, there is q constant flow O
winds from the north and south towarc
the equator. The rays Of the sun fall
ing perpendioularly in the torrid zone
al immense heat is radiated from the
earth, and the air becomes very warm
expands, rises, and flows off towarc
the poles. The cooler strata of air from
the poles Immediately take its place
When tho sun, on the 2lst of Marcel
and September, comes directly over
head, the conditions be come surh tina
storms of greater or less severity pre-
vail generally. Various currents o
air usually laden with moisture seen
TO rise up from the warmer portions
of the earth, and are carried to the ia
north and south, where, on condensa
ton, their aqueous contents are depos
tied. The nearer to the equator tn
greater the storms, and in ATTITUDES a
far north as this the storms are fire
qusntly very slight, though their oc
.ourrence semi-annually seldom fails
The equinoctials last year we're &C
companied by storms of very slim
magnitude throughput this section
but during the few years previou
they were more noticeable.